Unit 3 Culturally Competent Paper

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Unit 3 Culturally Competent Practice

Maxine Paradiso

NU 304

Kaplan University

Professor Lanette Anderson, MSN, JD, RN

11/2/2010




As I begin taking the required testing for this paper, I find that even though I live

in a very culturally diverse place, I am lacking in valuable knowledge. I currently reside

on the island of Maui and it is a culturally fascinating place. I am trying to secure

employment on the island of Molokai, which is actually more ³local´ then Maui, ³local´

meaning indigenous people. I know very little of what there is to learn but I haven¶t been

on the island very long at this point.

I enjoyed finding out that cultural learning is not something that ends but exists

on a continuum. I believe that being sensitive to cultural differences and belief are

extremely important to having the best practice as nurses that we can. I realized with

this self test, I am not as culturally competent as I wish to be. Granted I have not really

dealt with other cultures in my field as I have taken care of mainly white elderly folks. I have become more aware of the differences concerning the pacific islanders I live

around. I live with; Hawaiians, Tongans, Samoans, Filipinos, Mexicans, Koreans,

Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and numerous peoples from many smaller islands. I

also live with folks from every other country you can think of. Right now I am

concentrating on learning about the indigenous peoples of Hawaii.

The rationale for self assessment that I have read gives me more information on

the need for self awareness. I know that when I first started to read this information, I

was unsure of what I was getting into. After reading for a while I began to see that I was

not very aware of cultural issues the affect me and my practice. Granted at this time I

only have one client and she is of the same culture as me. I see that self assessment is

used to build a foundation on and to continue on in the future. The national Center for

Cultural Competence states ³It is incumbent upon leadership to establish a rationale for and to promote self assessment as an organizational goal and priority.´ (National Center

for Cultural Competence, 2010) I find this statement to be very important for nurses, and

directed towards myself. As nurses we are leaders. I know that it is important for me to

complete the self assessment and apply the knowledge to my practice to be effective.




After taking the self assessment I find that I need lots of teaching and discovery. My

results were actually disappointing. I need to brush up on many aspects! I need to learn

in all sub groups of the testing. My value and beliefs system subscale tells me I need to

identify and engage key cultural informants within diverse communities. I should query key

cultural informants regarding values, beliefs and practices of community members as they relate

to:

o health, health care, illness and well-being

o diet, nutrition, physical activity

o religiosity & spirituality

o family dynamicso practitioner credibility

o resiliency & strengths

o discern cultural group norms and within group differences.

o identify and utilize information from strengths-based assessments of

communities and families. (National Center for Cultural Competence, 2010)

I would enjoy getting to know these different people that will open up this needed

information. I also have resources presented to me to draw from to correct this lack Ihave. The next sub group of issues I need to learn more about is the health problems

associated with certain cultural groups.

y identify health, nutrition & communicable diseases prevalent in immigrant and refugee

populations

y learn the health protective factors influenced by cultural practices

y describe the prevalence of health and mental health disparities among racial and ethnic

groups

y determine the impact of health and mental health disparities on communities served by

your organization or program

y access key informants who are knowledgeable of health protective factors for diverse

groups

y include questions about health protective factors in history & intake protocols




y identify & engage key contacts in public and private sector social, education, and human

services agencies, and other community-based organizations that provide a range of

services (National Center for Cultural Competence, 2010)

Resources are provided to research and understand more about this particular issue. The nextsub groups are clinical decision making and life cycle events. Both of these groups need to be

more understood as a nurse and a human being. I consider myself to be very open-minded and

non-judgmental but did not understand how much I really did not know about different cultural

groups of people. This exercise and testing just opened up my eyes to the fact I really know

nothing about other cultures and really need to learn.

I see such a big need for understanding in daily actions and dealings with others in my

area. Even with the same ethnic people as I am there are cultural differences, I lived in

Appalachia for a few years and I never hardly ever saw a person of different skin color, but saw

some amazing cultural differences, I learned lessons of tolerance and kindness and will apply

the lessons I learned from there here in Hawaii. I hope to look back on my career and see that I

have applied all the learning and information presented to me. I don¶t think it will be easy but it

will be very interesting. I am personally enthralled by the culture here, it is so far one of Aloha

and kindness to your fellow man. Now I will learn more of the beliefs held here to do with health

and implement them in practice. It¶s a challenge I will enjoy and relish, I plan on using the

resources available to me through the National Center for Cultural Competence to enhance my

knowledge,




References

National Center for Cultural Competence. (2010). Rationale for Self Assessment. Retrieved

November 2, 2010, from Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development:

http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc/orgselfassess.html#benefits

Documents

Unit 3 Culturally Competent Paper